Slay-Z
mixtape
ArtistAzealia Banks
CoverSlay-Z cover.jpeg
ReleasedMarch 24, 2016
Recorded2014–2016
Genre
LabelSelf-released
Producer
Prev year2014
Next year2018

Slay-Z is the second mixtape by American rapper Azealia Banks. It was independently released as a free download on March 24, 2016. The eight-song project features collaborations with Rick Ross and Nina Sky; its production was handled by various musicians, including Benga, Coki, An Expresso, and Kaytranada. On July 12, 2017, it was re-released under Banks' record label, Chaos & Glory Recordings, to the iTunes Store and other online music stores.

Background

Following multiple conflicts with record label Interscope Records, Banks released her debut album Broke with Expensive Taste in November 2014 through Prospect Park. The genre-spanning longplayer garnered positive reviews from music critics,[1] and peaked at number 30 on the US Billboard 200.[2] In July 2015, the rapper announced her departure from the aforementioned company;[3] nonetheless, she revealed the following month that her contract with Prospect Park forbade her from releasing new music until March 2016.[4]

Banks originally devised Slay-Z as a tribute to American rapper Jay-Z.[5] "Can't Do It like Me" was initially composed with American singer Rihanna in mind but was instead released solo.[6] Rick Ross's verse on "Big Talk" was originally intended for a remix of Banks' song "Ice Princess," however it was repurposed for Slay-Z due to label complications.[7]

On March 2, 2016, Banks released "Used to Being Alone" for streaming.[8][9]

Release and reception

Prior to the release of the mixtape, Banks deactivated her Twitter handle for sixteen days. The rapper activated it on March 24 in order to announce the release of Slay-Z, which was made available for free download through WeTransfer on that day.[10] She further explained that the release had been motivated by the project's engineer leaking its songs.[11][12]

Slay-Z received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, it received an average score of 75, based on seven reviews.[13] Britt Julious from Pitchfork said the mixtape was not as good as Broke with Expensive Taste, but it still "shimmered with Banks' skill and personality", with tracks that were not always consistent but nevertheless engrossing.[14] NME magazine's Joe Levine called it a "blast" and praised Banks' ability to "bounce effortlessly between genres".[15] New York Times critic Nate Chinen said "where no one can really surpass her is in the convergence of raw hip-hop and electronic dance music", as on the songs "Used to Being Alone", "The Big Big Beat", and "Queen of Clubs".[16]

In a less enthusiastic review, HipHopDX writer Trent Clark said while Banks' talent was apparent on Slay Z, filler such as "Along the Coast" and "Used to Be Alone" suffered from poor musical choices; he described the latter track's beat as "an epileptic seizure of techno disharmony".[17] Robert Christgau gave the mixtape a two-star honorable mention in his blog for Vice,[18] indicating a "likable effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well enjoy".[19] He cited "Along the Coast" and "The Big Big Beat" as highlights while calling Banks the "seriously fluent, seriously flaky rapper as the dancefloor diva you love more than her beats—or, obviously, her tweets".[18]

On July 12, 2017, the mixtape was re-released commercially through Banks' label, Chaos & Glory Recordings.[20]

Track listing

Sample credits

  • "Can't Do It Like Me" contains elements of "Night", performed by Benga and Coki.
  • "Used to Being Alone" contains elements of "Astronomia", performed by Tony Igy.

Release history

CountryDateFormatLabelRef.
WorldwideMarch 24, 2016StreamingSelf-released[10]
July 12, 2017Digital downloadChaos & Glory Recordings[21]

References

  1. ^ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (March 24, 2016). "Azealia Banks' Long, Twisted Road to 'Broke With Expensive Taste'". Billboard. Archived December 14, 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  2. ^ Balfour, Jay (November 12, 2014). "Hip Hop Album Sales: T.I., Azealia Banks, Joe Budden". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  3. ^ J. Horowitz, Steven (July 21, 2015). "Azealia Banks Announces Split From Prospect Park Management – UPDATE". Billboard. Archived March 27, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  4. ^ Van Nguyen, Dean (August 10, 2015). "Azealia Banks claims she is unable to release new music until March due to label dispute". NME. Archived April 3, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  5. ^ Gamble, Lone (February 24, 2016). "Azealia Banks drops new track 'The Big Big Beat'". Dazed. Archived February 28, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  6. ^ Sherman, Maria (March 24, 2016). "Azealia Banks Drops 'Slay-Z' Mixtape Feat. Rick Ross: Download It Now". Fuse. Archived March 27, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  7. ^ "Azealia Banks & Charli XCX Interview on The Candy Shop on Be@ts 1 04/22/16". Youtube. Beats 1. Archived 10 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  8. ^ Richards, Will (March 2, 2016). "AZEALIA BANKS SHARES NEW TRACK 'USED TO BEING ALONE'". DIY. Archived March 8, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  9. ^ Minsker, Evan (March 2, 2016). "Azealia Banks Releases "Used to Being Alone," Appears to Take More Shots at Iggy Azalea". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  10. ^ Monroe, Jazz (March 24, 2016). "Azealia Banks Releases Slay-Z Mixtape". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  11. ^ Grebey, James (March 24, 2016). "Download Azealia Banks' New Mixtape, 'Slay-Z,' For Free Right Now". Spin. Archived March 27, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  12. ^ Platon, Adelle (March 24, 2016). "Azealia Banks Returns to Twitter, Delivers Download Link to Her 'Slay-Z' Mixtape". Billboard. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  13. ^ "Slay-Z Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More". Metacritic. March 24, 2016. Archived April 29, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  14. ^ Julious, Britt (March 30, 2016). "Azealia Banks: Slay-Z". Pitchfork. Archived April 2, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  15. ^ Levine, Nick. "Azealia Banks – 'Slay-Z' Review". NME. Archived April 15, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  16. ^ Chinen, Nate (March 30, 2016). "New Albums From Azealia Banks and Anoushka Shankar". The New York Times. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  17. ^ Clark, Trent. "Azealia Banks – 'Slay-Z'". HipHopDX. Archived April 13, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  18. ^ Christgau, Robert (May 20, 2016). "Baton Rouge, Big Beats, and Beyoncé Expert Witness with Robert Christgau". Vice. Archived July 8, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  19. ^ Christgau, Robert (2000). Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the 90s. St. Martin's Griffin. p. xvi. ISBN 0312245602.
  20. ^ "Slay-Z by Azealia Banks on Apple Music". Apple Music. Archived August 30, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  21. ^ Weinstein, Max (July 13, 2017). "Azealia Banks Keeps It Real About Being Shut Out of the Music Industry". XXL Magazine. Retrieved July 20, 2017.